Automatic apparatus for changing the weft bobbins in looms



L. POLET AUTQMATIC APPARATUS 'FdR CHANGING THE WEF'I BOBBINS IN LOOMS July 1-5, 1924. I 1,501,722

Filed Nov. 25 1921 Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT" LEOPOLD PoLnr, or GENNEVI'LLIERS'; marten.

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR CHAN GIN G THE WEFT IBOIBBINS IN Applicationfiled November 25, 1921. SerialNo; 517,481.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnoronn PoLnT, a

citizen of the French Republic, residing at (Jrennev1ll1ers, in the Department ofthe Selne and Republic of France, have lnven-ted certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Automatic Apparatus for Changing the Weft Bobbins in Looms, of

by a device having likewise a horizontal motion.

The improved apparatus is designed toobviate certain drawbacks. that are inherent in automatic mechanisms for changing weft bobbins in general, and to obviate, amongst others, the drawbacks resulting from the fact that these mechanisms are of complicated construction, imperfect in operation, are not readily accessible as regards all or some of their parts for the purpose of adjustment or assembling or taking apart, and that they require for their mounting and their adjustment workmen having a certain general knowledge and-having undergone a special apprenticeship for each type of such mechanisms.

lVith this object, the present invention provides an improved automatic apparatus for changing the weft bobbins, characterized by horizontal charging and horizontal drive, simplicity, strength and economy in construction, all its parts mounted on the loom being readily accessible, working perfectly and easily, mounted and taken down and adjusted, these'operations being capable of being effected by weaving-room foremen of not more than moderate skill.

An improved automatic apparatus for the horizontal changing of weft bobbins havinga horizontal drive, is hereinafter described by way of example as a constructional form of the invention, and is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompany ing drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan showing the general arrangement of the improved apparatus mounted on the breast beam of a loom.

e- 2 is nt ele ati n ing dev ce. I

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the l ne AT-AB of th shareof Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 0-1) of Fig. 1.

Fig, 5 is an end view ofthe device for retaining and tensioning the thread or the weft bobbins.

As shown in these figures, 1; is the breast beam of the loom, on oneside of which is arranged the apparatus for changing the weft bobbins,- mounted on a cast iron base 2, whilst, on the opposite side there are arranged the weft stop-motion fork 3 pivoted on a slide 4 adapted to' slide. in a bracket 5 fixed to the breast beam, under the action of a return spring 6.

On this slide 4 there is fixed a horizontal finger 7 parallel to the edge of the breast beam on the end thereof there bearsa cam 8 formed on the lower face of a lever 9 fixed on an operating rockshaft 1-0 extending along the outer edge ofthe breast beam 1.-

As usual, should the weft break or be missing, the fork 3 is not tilted and its tailis engaged by the notched head 11 forming the end of a rocking lever actuated by the cam shaft of the loom or by any other means. I V

Upon the driving-rock shaft there is fixed on the same side as the changing device a second lever 12 upon the end of which there bears a finger 13 attached toa rocker 14:- mounted on the end of a rod 15 formed as a slide, the bearing of the finger 18 upon the lever 12 serving to assure the raised position of the rocker let out of contact with a tappet 16 fixed to the lay 17.

Parallel to the base 2, and pivoted thereon. is a lever 18 adapted to rock horizontally; this lever constitutes the main organ of the horizontal drive, and one end of which is attached pivotally to the end of the slide 15 of the rocker 14. The other'en'd of this lever is pivotall-y attached to a straight edge 19 that is mounted adjustably' of the charger 20,

on the extension 20 whereby the latter is compel-led to{ make a horizontal stroke that can be varied and adjusted at will by means of a set-screw 2191" other device.

The forward movement of theassured by a chain 22 attached to the frame,

charger the said charging device 2020-20 being guided by suitable guide members 2 f fixed to the base 2.

The rear part 20" of the charger 29 comprises a sort of trap 26 hinged with a return spring 25, for supporting the bobbins contained between the two uprights 27 and 28 that constitute the magazine, in the usual way, fixed to the base 2. 29 is the rod for the thread guides for guiding the weft ends hanging from the fresh bobbins.

pemzz'0n.VVhen the weft of the bobbin in use becomes exhausted or broken. the weft stop-motion fork 3 will not be tilted by the weft and the hook of its tail comes into engagement with the notched head 11 which latter, in continuing its rocking movement, causes the fork 3, and consequently the bracket t, to move front thereby shifting the finger 7 on which rests the cam 8 of the rocking lever 9.

Owing to this forward movement of the finger 7 which escapes from the cam 8, the lever 9 tilts downwardly from the top of this boss 8 thereby causing a partial rotation of the shaft 10 for driving the bobbin changer. This rotation of the shaft 10 causes a downward rocking movement of the lever 12 upon which rests the finger 13 of the rocker 14-.

Owing to the escape of the lever 12 from underneath the finger 13, the rocker 1% moves down so as to come into the horizon tal with this sliding support 15. In this position, it is struck by the tappet 16 on the forward movement of the lay 17, thereby causing its sudden recoil as well as that of its slide 15. This forward movement causes a horizontal rocking movement of the driving lever 18 of the charger 20 so that the latter in moving rearward introduces the bobbin into the shuttle.

As the weft resumes its course, the fork 3 is again centered, and the slide resumes its position by the action of the return spriiur 6., whereby the finger T is moved back un der the boss 8 of the lever 9 with the result that the driving; shaft 10 is caused to rock in the reverse direction, and through the lever 12, to raise the rocker 14 which is thereby brought out of range of the pet 16.

By the action of the spring 23 and the chain 22 the horizontal driving lever 18 h resumed its position and moved the cha" ing device 202020 back to the front.

This apparatus comprises naturally a safety device for the proper positioning of the shuttle in its box. If the shuttle does not enter completely in the said box, the lay 17 in its forward movement presents the end of the nose of the shuttle in front of a safety finger mounted so as to be capable of rocking on the breast beam with a retm'u spring 31. The end of this finger is formed with an inclined surface which, coming into contact with the shuttle, auses the finger 30 to rise. This finger in its turn raises the rocker 14; (that was turned down by the rocking movement of the lever 12) before it comes into contact with the tappet 16 fixed on the lay 17 and whose forward movement consequently does not effectany release of the charger.

The same thing occurs when the shuttle is presented in front of the finger 30, sidewayson near its middle for instance.

' The bobbins are placed in the magazine, their bases being situated in the upright 27 and their noses in the upright 28. By means of these slideways they pass to the charger 20, the first bobbin being held by the tipping door 26 with spring 25 and supported by the said door until it enters the clip or nipp-er of the shuttle.

On the base 2 there is fixed a ratchet wheel 32 mounted on an axle. A second pinion 33 mounted on a forked member 3 1 fixed by means of a flat spring 35 and a stud 36, comes into engagement with the pinion 32.

At the instant of changing, the shaft 10 in pivoting depresses a lever 37, causing a pawl 38 to engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel 32. The shaft 10 in returning to its normal position causes the pawl 38 to rise f and turn the ratchet wheel 32 through the distance of one tooth.

The weft ends hanging from the bobbins being situated between the two pinions are wound up as the bobbins descend into the magazine. The weft ends are threaded manually into the eye of the rod 29, be tween the gears and 33, and into the eye of a tensioning device 39 when the magazine is filled.

In order to avoid breaking the hanging weft end at the time of the introduction of the bobbin into the'shuttle, the shaft 10 in pivoting, depresses a lever 40 which is fixed in it and has a forked end for engaging the right-hand end of the weft tensioning device.

The lever e0 in being depressed, causes the tensioning device 39 to tip, which latter is fixed by means of a pivot pin on. the base The hanging weft end being engaged in the eye of the tens'ioning device, is thereby slackened, and is tensioned again when the lever 40 assumes its initial position.

It is to be understood that modifications and alterations may be made in the details and also that mechanical equivalents may be employed, and further improvements may be made in the performance of the invention without departing from the nature of the latter.

What I claim is:

Automatic bobbin changing mecha-- nism for looms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changlid ing mechanism comprising a shaft rotatably carried by and extending along the breast beam, an arm fixed on said shaft and having a cam surface thereon, a member carried by the beam for movement into and out of engagement with said cam surface for operating the arm and shaft into one position when moved in one direction and for releasing them when moved in another direction, means controlled by the weft fork mechanism for operating the member, a tappet moving with the lay toward and from the beam, horizontally operating charging mechanism carried by the beam, a magazine to supply bobbins to said charging mechanism, an operating interponent connected with said charging mechanism and movable into and out of the path of the tappet, a second arm on the shaft and operable upon the interponent to hold it out of the path of the tappet when the first mentioned arm is operated by the member into said one position, whereby when the first arm and shaft are released and the interponent is allowed to move into the path of the tappet on the lay, the lay will act through the interponent to effect a charging of the shuttle with a new bobbin.

Automatic bobbing changing mechanism for looms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising a horizontally operating charger mounted upon the breast beam, a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said charger, a tappet carried by the lay, horizontally operating means for said charger mounted on the top of the breast beam and extending toward the lay, said means including an interponent shiftable into and out of the path of the tappet, a shaft extending along and carried by said beam, an arm on the shaft and adapted to control the position of the interponent relatively to the tappet, and means controlled by the weft fork mechanism for operating the shaft in a direction to cause engagement of the interponent by the tappet and consequent changing of bobbins in the shuttle when the weft fails or breaks.

3. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism forlooms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism. and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising a magazine, a charger mechanism mounted upon the upper face of the beam for movement thereon horizontally to receive bobbins from the magazine and place them successively in the shuttle, a tappet carried by the lay, an interponent connected tosaid charger mechanism and movable into and out of the path of the tappet. independently of the movement of the charger mechanism, a shaft extending along and rotatable on the beam, an arm on the shaft extending over the beam and acting on the interponent to control its position, a second arm on the shaft, means carried by the beam normally holding the second arm in a position to keep the interponent controlled by the other arm out of the path of the tappet, and operable by the weft fork mechanism to cause a movement of the interponent into the path'ofthe tappet, whereby the tappet may engage with and operate the interponent and through it the charger mechanism to effect a change of bobbins. I

4. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a l y, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising charger element mounted on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement toward and from the lay, a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said element, a lever pivoted to the beam.

at the-top thereof and connected to the element to operate it, an operating element connected to said lever at the top of said beam and extending toward the lay a rocker pivoted on said operating element at the end toward the lay, a tappet on the lay adapted to engage and operate the rocker and operating element when the rocker is shifted into its path, and means carried by the beam and operable by the weft fork mechanism for controlling the rocker and causing it to be shifted into the path of the tappet to effect a bobbin changing operation when the weft fails or breaks.

5. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising a charger element mounted on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement toward and from the lay, a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said element, a horizontally swingable lever pivoted to the beam at the top thereof and connected to the element to operate it, an operating element connected tosaid lever at the top of said beam and extending toward the lay, a rocker pivoted on said operating element at the end toward the lay, a tappet on the lay adapted to engage and operate the rocker and operating element when the rocker is shifted into its path, a shaft extending along and rotatably carried by the beam, an arm on the shaft and controlling the position of the rocker, a second arm on the shaft,and means carried by the beam and operable by the weft fork mechanism for controlling the second arm, whereby when the weft breaks or fails the rocker will automatically move into the path of the tappet to effect a bobbin changing operation.

6. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a lay, a weftfork mechanism, and a breast, beam, said changing mechanism comprising a charger element mounted On the upper face of the beam for sliding movement toward and from the lay,

a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said element, a lever pivoted to the beam and connected to the element to operate it, an operating element connected to said lever and, extending toward the lay a rocker pivote-d on said operating element at the end toward the lay, a tappet on the lay adapted to engage and operate the rocker and operating element when the rocker is shifted into its path, a shaft extending along and rotatably carried by the beam, an arm on the shaft and controlling the position of the rocker, a second arm on the shaft, a con trol element slidingly carried by the beam and having a portion underlying the second er and preventing rotation of the shaft in ection to cause a bobbin changingoperation, and weft fork mechanism includ ing a weft fork tiltingly carried by the con trol element, operable upon a failure or Jreakage of the weft to move the control element from beneath the second arm sufficiently to allow rotation of the shaft and thereby cause movement of the rocker into the path of the tappet, whereby a change of bobbins will occur.

7. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism. comprising a charger element mounted on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement toward and from the lay, a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said element, a lever pivoted to the beam and connected to the element to operate it, an operating element connected to said lever and eX- tending toward the lay, a rocker pivoted on said operating element at the end toward the lay, a tappet on the lay adapted to engage and operate the rocker and operating element, when the rocker is shifted into its path, the rocker having a tendency when released to move into the path of 'the tappet, a shaft rotatably carried by the beam and having an arm underlying a portion of the rocker so as to engage and. lift the rocker out of the path of the tappet when the shaft is rotated in one direction. and means controlled by the weft fork mechanism and operable when the weft fails or breaks to cause an operation of the shaft and through it a movement of the rocker into the path of the tappet whereby a change of bobbins will take place.

8. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a lay, a weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising a charger element mounted 'on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement toward and from the lay, a magazine for feeding bobbins successively to said element, a lever pivoted to the, beam at the top thereof and connected to the element to operate it, an operating element mounted on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement towardand from the lay,

a tappet on the lay, an interponent hinged to the element for movement into and out of the path of the tappet, and means operable by the weft fork mechanism and controlling the position of the interponent whereby when the weft fails or breaks said interpo nent will be acted upon by the tappet to effect a change of bobbins.

9. Automatic bobbin changin'g mechanism for looms having a lay, Weft fork mechanism, and a breast beam, said changing mechanism comprising a tappet carried by the lay, charger mechanism carried by the beam and adapted when operated to effect a change in bobins, a rocker pivotally carried by the charger mechanism for movement vertically into and out of the path of the tappet and normally biased into the path of the tappet to be operated thereby and thus operate the charger mechanism, means normally holding the rocker out of the path of the tappet and controlled by the weft fork mechanism whereby when the weft fails or breaks the rocker will be lowered into the path of the tappet to efiect a change of bobbins, a feeler carried bythe breast beam in a position to lift the rocker out of the path of the tappet when operated upwardly, said feeler having a cam surface on its outer end, whereby asthe lay approaches the beam, if its shuttle is not in a position where a change of'bobbins can be effected, the feeler will be engaged on its cam surface and cammed upwardly by the shuttle to prevent an operation of thecharger mechanism.

10. In a bobbin changing loom, a bobbin supply magazine, ineans'for taking up slack in the weft ends as the bobbins in the magazine move toward the changing position, a device normally tensioning the weft ends between the magazine and the taking up means, a rocker shaft to control the bobbin changing operation, means actuable by said rocker shaft to operate the tension device to relieve the tension on the weft ends during,

the bobbin changing operation, and means operable by said rocker shaft to actuate the taking up means upon completion of the bobbin changing operation.

11. Automatic bobbin changing mechanism for looms having a lay and a breast beam, said mechanism comprising a magazine mounted upon the breast beam, a charger element mounted on the upper face of the beam for sliding movement to carry bobbins from the magazine to a shuttle on the lay, a lever pivoted on the upper face of the beam, extending along the same and connected to the charger element to reciprocate it, an actuating element slidingly mounted on the upper face of the beam for movement transversely thereof, a ta-ppet carried by the lay, an interponent carried by the actuating element and movable into and out of the path of the tappet, the engagement of the tappet with the interponent causing an operation of the actuating element and through it an operation of the lever and charger element to effect a change of bobbins, a shaft extending along and rotatably carried by the beam, an arm on the shaft controlling the position of the interponent whereby When the arm and shaft are in one angular position the interponent Will be in a position to effect a change of bobbins when engaged and operated by the tappet and when in another angular position the interponent Will be out of the path of the tappet, a second arm on the shaft, a control element also slidingly mounted on the upper face of the beam for movement transversely thereof and having a portion cooperating With the second arm to govern and actuate it and the shaft, Weft fork mechanism including a Weft fork pivotally carried by the control element Whereby when the Weft fails or breaks the control element will be moved by the Weft fork mechanism to initiate a bobbin changing movement. 7

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

LEOPOLD POLET.

Witness Cains DANZEY. 

